Front Row Motorsports announced management changes Monday morning that shook up their Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams. Donnie Wingo, who was the crew chief for Landon Cassill’s No. 34 Ford, has been named Competition Director of the two-car organization effective immediately.
Wingo, who’s got 30+ years of experience as a head wrench moves into an oversight role. He’ll now serve as FRM’s top personnel connection to the team’s technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing. In his third season with FRM, Wingo has seven career Cup wins atop the pit box including the 2011 Daytona 500 with Trevor Bayne.
Derrick Finley last held the Competition Director role for FRM; he remains the crew chief of David Ragan’s No. 38 Ford. To fill Wingo’s spot, Seth Barbour was hired as crew chief for Cassill’s No. 34 Ford. Barbour has one career NASCAR XFINITY Series win as a head wrench (Ryan Reed, Daytona) and will be making his Cup Series debut. Barbour last worked with Darrell Wallace Jr. at RFR’s XFINITY Series program before sponsorship issues shut that car down last month.
Cassill, in his second season with FRM has struggled behind the wheel. His average finish (26.5) is lower than 2016 and he sits without a top-10 finish this year. Cassill is the lowest of any Cup driver in the standings (33rd) to have qualified for all 17 races this season.
FRM nearly secured a playoff spot Saturday night at Daytona. But Ragan, who entered the final restart leading the race saw his bid for the win foiled by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
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The author of Did You Notice? (Wednesdays) Tom spends his time overseeing Frontstretch’s 40+ staff members as its majority owner and Editor-in-Chief. Based outside Philadelphia, Bowles is a two-time Emmy winner in NASCAR television and has worked in racing production with FOX, TNT, and ESPN while appearing on-air for SIRIUS XM Radio and FOX Sports 1's former show, the Crowd Goes Wild. He most recently consulted with SRX Racing, helping manage cutting-edge technology and graphics that appeared on their CBS broadcasts during 2021 and 2022.
You can find Tom’s writing here, at CBSSports.com and Athlonsports.com, where he’s been an editorial consultant for the annual racing magazine for 15 years.
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